Combating Trafficking in Nepal

"Sita went to Malaysia dreaming of a job in either a hotel or a school. But, as soon as she landed at the airport, she learned that she had been deceived by the recruitment agent and was forced to work as a maid in a private house where she was subjected to physical and mental abuse." - Excerpt from the documentary

Trafficking in persons (TIP) is a serious problem in Nepal, characterized by cross-border, international and internal trafficking of women, men, and children for various purposes including commercial sexual exploitation, labor, and body organs.

The Government of Nepal (GON) took an important step toward addressing this abuse of human rights by passing the Human Trafficking and Transportation Control Act of 2007 (TIP Act), which establishes a comprehensive legal framework to combat TIP. In April 2012, the government publicly launched new policies to combat trafficking: the National Plan of Action against trafficking, the National Minimum Standards (NMS) on victim care and attention, and the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for rehabilitation centers. USAID's five-year program, Combating Trafficking in Persons (CTIP), played a significant role in supporting the Government of Nepal in formulating these policies (NMS and SOP). The program continues to strengthen the capacity of the government and civil society organizations to address the issue of trafficking in a more holistic and productive manner.

This short (20 mins) documentary demonstrates the accomplishment of the government and civil society and the ongoing efforts to combat trafficking in Nepal. By providing a glimpse of victims' lives, it showcases the successes and challenges to protect victims, prosecute traffickers, and prevent trafficking.